TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued subpoenas to RAD Diversified REIT, Inc., its subsidiaries, and its owners, Brandon “Dutch” Mendenhall and Amy Vaughn, arising out of allegations that RAD Diversified REIT, Mendenhall and Vaughn have violated Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act or other laws. Mendenhall and Vaughn are internet personalities who advertise seminars that encourage Floridians to invest in real estate through the RAD Diversified REIT and its subsidiaries.

“Our office has received complaints that a popular internet duo selling real estate investment services through their fund is pocketing cash instead of buying properties as advertised,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “This appears to be a Ponzi scheme, and with several individuals claiming they’ve been exploited, we are investigating to ensure Floridians are not being deceived by greedy fraudsters.”

Mendenhall and Vaughn, owners of RAD Diversified REIT, Inc. and its subsidiaries, post videos online and on social media to promote their fund, which is supposed to pool investor funds and invest in real estate. Additionally, Mendenhall and Vaughn host periodic in-person seminars that advertise RAD Diversified REIT, Inc. as a way for Floridians to invest in real estate if they do not have enough funds to buy property outright. However, many investors have complained that they cannot collect returns or get their money back due to roadblocks by Mendenhall and Vaughn. The investigation and subpoenas seek to gather information about these complaints and whether the company owns real estate equivalent in value to the amount invested by RAD Diversified REIT customers. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier is launching an investigation into Robinhood Crypto, LLC. and issuing a subpoena to uncover internal documents. Robinhood Crypto allegedly is breaking Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Practices Act by falsely promoting its crypto platform as the least expensive way to purchase crypto—when there is evidence to suggest that is not true.

“Crypto is a vital component of Florida’s financial future, and President Trump’s efforts to advance the crypto market will make America stronger and wealthier. When consumers buy and sell crypto assets, they deserve transparency in their transactions,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Robinhood has long claimed to be the best bargain, but we believe those representations were deceptive.”

Robinhood is a cryptocurrency and stock trading platform. Instead of charging a commission, Robinhood generates revenue by routing customers’ trades to third-party firms. These firms pay Robinhood for the opportunity to take the opposite side of its customers’ trades, also known as payment for order flow or PFOF.  Continue reading →

Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) released the following statement following the U.S. Department of Commerce’s termination of the 2019 Suspension Agreement on fresh tomatoes from Mexico:

“For far too long, American tomato growers—especially those in Florida—have been forced to compete against artificially low prices driven by unfair trade practices,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “The termination of this agreement sends a clear message: we’re standing up for American farmers and restoring integrity to our agricultural markets. Food security is national security. Our farmers deserve a fair shot to compete—and this marks a critical step forward in making that possible. I am grateful to the Trump Administration and Secretary Lutnick for their unwavering support.”

Background:

Florida is one of the nation’s largest tomato-producing states, and growers have long raised concerns about the impact of dumped Mexican imports on their ability to stay in business. The 2019 Suspension Agreement halted anti-dumping duties on Mexican tomatoes in exchange for price and volume restrictions from Mexican exporters. With yesterday’s decision, those duties will now go into effect, with most imports subject to a 20.91% tariff. This decision is widely seen as a victory for domestic agriculture and a meaningful step toward fairer trade enforcement. Continue reading →

The Golden Age of America begins right now. From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation, and we will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. During every single day of the Trump administration, I will very simply put America first. Our sovereignty will be reclaimed. Our safety will be restored. The scales of justice will be rebalanced. The vicious, violent and unfair weaponization of the Justice Department and our government will end. And our top priority will be to create a nation that is proud, prosperous and free. America will soon be greater, stronger and far more exceptional than ever before.

Many Americans have been celebrating the ascendancy of the first American Pope, Leo XIV. However, that ascendancy highlights some problems with the Internal Revenue Code and brings to light an additional reason why we need to eliminate the federal income tax. In an article in Tax Notes, the following information was provided:

* Beyond saving souls, the new pope might need to save his receipts in the event of an IRS audit.

* A primary question arises over the treatment of his papal salary. We don’t know exactly how much the pope earns, although it’s rumored to be in the vicinity of $400,000 per year.

* It’s unclear whether the pontiff has chosen to accept or decline the salary or to accept and donate the funds to charity. For US tax purposes, a decision to decline salary may not be sufficient to prevent the earnings from being treated as gross income.

* Additional concerns involve the application of section 107 (rental value of parsonage), section 119 (meals and lodging furnished for the convenience of employees), section 170b (percentage limitations on charitable deductions), section 911 (the foreign earned income exclusion) and section 6039F (the duty to report gifts from non U.S. persons) Continue reading →

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation aimed to strengthen protections for children against sexual crimes. “Florida has zero tolerance for criminals who exploit children,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Throughout my time in office, we’ve worked with the legislature to strengthen penalties for child abuse, hold predators accountable, and ensure that Florida remains a safe place to raise a family.”

Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 777, House Bill 1351, House Bill 1455 and House Bill 1161 into law; and committed to signing Senate Bill 1804 into law in the coming days.

House Bill 777 Offenses Involving Children strengthens Florida’s laws against luring or enticing children. The bill:

• Expands victim age: Applies the offense to any child under 14, instead of a narrower age group.
• Expands offense scope: Includes luring or enticing a child out of a structure, dwelling, or vehicle—not just into one.
• Eliminates certain defenses: Ignorance of the child’s age, misrepresentation of the child’s age and bona fide belief about the child’s age.
• Enhances Penalties: First offense is raised from a 1st-degree misdemeanor to a 3rd-degree felony and second or subsequent offenses are raised from 3rd-degree felony to 2nd-degree felony.

House Bill 1351 Registration of Sexual Predators and Sexual Offenders enhances registration, reporting, and verification requirements for sexual predators and offenders in Florida. The bill: Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Governor Ron DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier, and Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson approved the protection of more than 78,000 acres of lands through Florida, including over 76,000 in rural Florida within the Ocala-to-Osceola Wildlife Corridor. These key acquisitions close the final, major gap in a 100-mile, 1.6-million-acre network of public and private lands connecting the Ocala and Osceola National Forests.

“Under my administration, Florida has significantly expanded its land conservation efforts and today’s conservation is a major milestone for the Florida Wildlife Corridor,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “By prioritizing conservation, we are not only supporting our natural resources, but also our rural economies and the future of our state.”

Since 2019, the state has invested more than $1.4 billion in land conservation through the Florida Forever Program. This consistent funding has enabled the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to acquire over 374,000 acres for conservation, 90% of which are within the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— From Monday, June 16, through Wednesday, June 18, Governor Ron DeSantis will lead an international trade and business development mission to France. The mission will highlight Florida’s status as a global hub for aerospace, aviation, defense, and emerging technologies, while promoting expanded trade and investment opportunities for businesses interested in Florida markets.

As part of the mission, Governor DeSantis will attend the 55th International Paris Air Show—one of the world’s premier events for aerospace innovation. The show features more than 2,500 exhibitors from 48 countries and draws over 300,000 visitors annually. More than two dozen leading Florida-based companies will be in attendance, showcasing the state’s cutting-edge capabilities in aviation, aerospace, and defense.

“Our next trade mission delegation is headed to France and the 55th International Paris Air Show,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida’s focus on manufacturing, aviation, and the space industry already makes it a global leader in aerospace. Our efforts on this trip will be to promote further investment in our state and bring more high-paying jobs to Florida.” Continue reading →

Building An Emergency Supplies Kit

Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for at least 72 hours. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.
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Download the FEMA app to receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service.

• Sign up for community alerts in your area and be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) – which requires no-sign up.
• Visit Ready.gov/hurricanes or Ready.gov/es/huracanes (en Español) for more readiness tips.

Basic Preparedness Tips

• Know your zone.
• If you are ordered to evacuate, know the local hurricane evacuation route(s) to take and have a plan for where you can stay. Contact your local emergency management agency for more information.
• Snap photos of important documents and save them online or in a secure place you can access during an emergency
• Put together a go-bag: disaster supply kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, first aid supplies, medications, and copies of your critical information if you need to evacuate
• If you are not in an area that is advised to evacuate and you decide to stay in your home, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and you are not able to leave due to flooding or blocked roads.
• Make a family emergency communication plan.
• Many communities have text or email alerting systems for emergency notifications. To find out what alerts are available in your area, search the Internet with your town, city, or county name and the word “alerts.

Continue reading →